Spraying machine



April 19, 1966 w. w. FUNK ETAL v 3,246,846

SPRAYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 27, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTORS WELKER w. FUNK HARRY M. MEINERT ATTORNEY April 19, 1966 w, w,FUNK ETAL 3,246,846

SPRAYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 27, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 I O f i {W50 |2o OY! I 90 74 t a 24 FT INVENTORS. WELKER w. FUNK HARRY M. MEINE ATTORNEYApril 19, 1966 w, w, FUNK A 3,246,846

SPRAYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 27, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.3

INVENTORS. WELKER W. FUNK HARRY M. MEINERT ATTORNEY April 19, 1966 w. w.FUNK ETAL SPRAYING MACHINE s Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 27, 1963 val m TO R U T. E N N N R E I 0 VNE T mm m w 6 n R K A EH W April 19, 1966 w.w. FUNK ETAL v SPRAYING MACHINE .6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGS? Filed Nov. 27,1963 INVENTORS. WELKE'R W. FUNK HARRY M. MEI NERT ATTORNEY April 19,1966 w. w. FUNK ETAL SPRAYING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Nov. 27,1963 INVENTORS. WELKER W. FUNK HARRY M. MEINERT ATTORNEY United StatesPatent 3,246,346 SERAYHNG MACHHNE Welker W. Funk, Moiine, and Harry M.Meinert, East Moiine, lllL, assignors to Deere & Company, Moline, 111.,a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 326,476 7Claims. (Cl. 239-78) The present invention relates to apparatus fordistributing pesticides and other agricultural chemicals wherein thechemical material is entrained in a controlled air blast for subsequentdeposition on plants, such as trees, bushes, and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide apparatus forcontrolling an air blast in which chemical material is entrained tosecure better penetration of the plants to be treated by the air blast,and also to achieve more even deposition of the chemical upon plantfoliage.

To this end it is an object of the present invention to provideapparatus for generating an air blast which extends perpendicularly ofthe normal path of travel of the apparatus, to divide a lower portion ofthe air blast into differently angled streams which are adapted tocontact a plant in such a manner that the foliage is forced open, and todirect the upper portion of the air blast into the opened foliage.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provideapparatus to create an air blast which extends perpendicularly to thedirection of travel of a mobile agricultural chemical distributor, toentrain chemical material within the air blast, to divide the lowerportion of the air blast into two fixed streams, one of the streamsextending forwardly and outwardly of the distributor, and the otherstream extending rearwardly and outwardly of the distributor, and tooscillate the upper portion of the air blast whereby the last-mentionedportion of the air blast is alternately directed upwardly anddownwardly, the upper portion entering between the divided lower portionof the air blast when directed downwardly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatusfor oscillating a portion of the air blast.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedoscillatable vane structue in which novel mounting means is provided foradjusting individual vanes.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a fixeddiverter vane assembly for dividing the lower portion of the airstream-into two differently angled streams in which individualhorizontal vanes may be adjustably positioned.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art 'after a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which the preferred form of this invention isillustrated.

' FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air blast sprayer incorporating thenovel principles of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the appa ratus employed tooscillate the upper vanes in the discharge housing of the air blastsprayer.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the oscillating mechanism shown in FIG. 2.

FIGS. 3a and 3b are schematic illustrations of themcillating mechanismshown in FIG. 3 in its two extreme ranges of position.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1 showing theupper oscillatable vanes in the discharge housing, with some repetitiveportions omitted.

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line 5--S of FIG. 4 showing the mannerin which the oscillatable vanes are pivotally secured to the dischargehousing, the blower being omitted.

3,246,845 Patented Apr. 19, 1956 FIG. 6 is a view taken along the line6-6 in FIG. 1 showing the fixed diverter vane assembly in the lowerportion of the discharge head.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view taken from the rear of the spraying machinein which the upper portion of the air blast is shown in two extremepositions, the dotted lines showing the upper portion of the air blastwhen the upper portion is directed downwardly, and the dotaiash linesshowing the upper portion of the air blast when the upper portion isdirected upwardly, and the dash lines indicating the lower portion ofthe air blast.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing how the foliage of a tree may bedeflected by the diverging lower streams permitting the upper portion ofthe air blast to achieve better penetration.

In the following description right-hand and left-hand reference isdetermined by standing to the rear of the sprayer and facing thedirection of travel.

Referring first to FIG. 1 in which a sprayer embodying the principles ofthe present invention are illustrated, the sprayer includes a chassis 10supported by a pair of wheels 12 and adapted to be drawn through anorchard, orange grove, or the like by a tractor 13 (FIG. 8) hitched to aforwardly extending draft bar 15. Supported on the chassis 10 centrallyof the machine is a tank 14 adapted to contain agricultural chemicals,which can include plant nutrients, stickers, fungicides and pesticides,the latter including herbicides and insecticides, the tank being adaptedto be filled through the opening closed by a filler cap 16. An engine ismounted within an engine compartment 18 forwardly of the tank 14 and isadapted to drive a pump through suitable transmission means for pumpingthe spraying material from the tank 14 to the discharge pipes 20 at therear of the machine. The engine is also connected through suitabletransmission means including belts 22 (FIG. 2) to a blower fan 24 (FIG.6) mounted within the discharge head, indicated generally at 26, thedischarge head having an inlet opening 27.

The blower 24 is mounted on a blower shaft 28 to which is keyed thesheave 30 that receives the belts 22. The shaft 28 is supported on frontand rear bearing blocks 32 (only the rear bearing block being shown) andthe hearing blocks are in turn carried by suitable structure 34 on thechassis 10.

Mountedto the front and rear of the discharge head 26 are inlet areas 36and 38 respectively. Disposed over the inlet areas are front and rearsafety shields or screens 4-9 and 42, respectively.

The sprayer so far described is in many respects similar to the sprayershown in Patent No. 2,676,057 to G. W. Daugherty issued April 20, 1954and reference may be had thereto for a more complete description to thisgeneral class of sprayers. However, it should be noted that Sprayers ofthis class are designed to be drawn through orchards and the like bytractors, as above referred to, and that the spray material containedwithin the tank 14 is caused to be discharged through the nozzles 44 onthe discharge pipes 20 by means of the pump which is driven by theengine. As the spray material is being discharged, the fan or blower 24is simultaneously driven from the engine and air drawn in through theinlet areas 36 and 38 is impelled through the outlet opening 27 in thedischarge head 26, the spray material discharged through the nozzles 44being entrained in the discharged air.

According to the principles of the present invention, the discharge head26 is provided with novel means to control the discharged air, and thesemeans include fixed fore-and-aft lower diverter vane assembliesindicated generally at 46, and upper oscillatable vanes 48. It should benoted that the outlet opening 27 of the discharge head extends from oneside of the machine to the other, and

that identical control means are provided at each side of the machine.

Disposed to the front and rear of the discharge head 2-6 are framemembers 5t) (FIG. 5), and secured to the upper portion ofeach framemember 54 is a shield and upper vane support structure, indicatedgenerally at 52; Each shield and support structure includes pivot ringsupports 54' which are secured to the associated frame member 59- in aconventional manner. The supports 54 are provided with inwardly directedflanges 55 to which are secured a pivot ring so An upper shield support58 is secured to' the pivot ring support 54 and the shield support 58'in turn carries the upper shield member 69; Each of the upper shieldmembers is provided with a plurality of apertures 62, and pins 64 aredisposed on the pivotring 5'6 in alignment with the apertures 62. Anupper shield cover 66 is disposed over the pivot ring support 54. 7 Oneend of each of the fore-and-aft extending tubular pivot members 68 isflattened and secured tothe associated vane 43, the other end ofeach ofthe pivot members 68 extends through the associated aperture 62 and isdisposed about the aligned pin 64.

The vanes 48 on the upper portion of the rightand lef-t-hand sidesof thesprayer are oscillated by means of rightand left-hand shifter rings orsegments 79 and 71, respectively, FIG. 4, which are connected throughrightand left-hand first rock arms 72 and 73, respectively, formed onthe rear ends ofrightand left-hand rockshafts 74, and 75, respectively,FIG. 3, the rockshafts being oscillated ina manner more fully set forthbelow. Each of the vanes 48 is connected to its associated shifter ringby means of a vane control link '76 which is pivotally secured at oneend by meansof a pivot pin 77', and each vane is pivotally connected: atthe other end to an upstanding flange '78 on a bracket 79 (FIG. 5), bymeans of a pivot'pin 8th Each. of the brackets being in turn welded orotherwise secured to the associated vane 48. The flange 78 is providedwith: a slot 82, and fastener means 8'41 in the form of a nut and boltor similar device is adapted to secure the vane control link 76 to theflange '78 in adjustable position. Each vane may be individuallyadjusted with respect to the other vanes by loosening the fastener 84and swingingthe vane 48' to its desired position.

The vanes are caused to be oscillated, as mentioned above, byoscillation of the rock shafts 74 and 75. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3the rightand left-hand rock shafts 7'4 and are caused to be oscillatedby linkage indicated generally at 86 which is connected to a crank oreccentric 8-8 which is in turn driven from the sprayer motor by suitabledrive means. The linkage includes righ and left-hand second rock arms 90and 92, respectively, extending outwardly from the rightand left-handrockshafts 74 and 75, to which they are rigidly secured, the right-handsecond rock arm 90 extending upwardly and the left-hand second rock arm92 extending downwardly, the arms 90' and 92 beinginterconnected bysuitable strap means ?4; Extending downwardly from the right-handrockshaft 74 is a third rock arm 96 which is connected through a pivotpin 98 to a two-piece link 1% which is pivotally connected at its lowerend to the crank wheel or eccentric 88 by pin means 101 (FIG. 3).

The crank 88 is adapted to be driven from the sprayer motor'by suitabledrive means which includes a belt 102 disposed over a sheave 104 whichdrives a speed reducer 1% which in turn drives the crank wheel oreccentric 88. The speed reducer is mounted within the front inlet area36 and is secured to the rear wall 108 of the tank 14' by means ofsuitable support means which includes rightand left-hand angles 110' and112 respectively, which are welded to the rear wall, transverse upperand lower angles 114 and 116 respectively, and a horizontal mountingplate 124 which extends rearwardly from the upper transverse angle iron114, the rear end of the plate being supported on the lower transverseangle iron 116 by a strap 126.

An upper transverse bearing plate 118 is secured to the angles 11! and112, the plate 118 carrying rightand left-hand bearings 12% and 122,each of which receives one end of the associated rightand left-handrockshafts 74 and 75. A rear portion of each of the rockshafts 74 and 75is supported in an associated bearing 74a, 75a (FIG. 4), carried by theforward support and shield structure.

Mounted within the outlet opening 27 on each side of the lower portionof the discharge head is a fixed diverter vane assembly (FIG. 6) Thevane assembly is secured to the frame members 50: of the discharge headby means of clips 1-28 which carry front and rear vertical vanes 13-9; Aplurality of horizontal vanes 131 is secured by means of weld nuts 132and cap screws 133 to the front and rear vertical vanes 130. Innervertical vanes 134 are secured to the inner sides of the horizontalvanes 131- also by means of weld nuts and cap screws. Further horizontalvanes1=36 and vertical: vanes 138 are secured to each other in a similarmanner and a horizontal center support li lilis employed to secure'theinnermost vertical vanes 13% together; The horizontal vanes may beadjusted angularly by loosening the cap screws 133 and moving the outerend up and down to the desired position and then tightening the: capscrew.

The operation of applicants device should be apparent fromthe foregoingdescription, however it should be noted that the blast of air generatedby the blower 24 will be distributed radially through the outlet 27 andthat the portion of the air blast which passes through the lowermostparts of the discharge head will encounter the fixed diverter vaneassembly 46 and thus the lower portion of the air blast will bedivertedinto two streams, one stream of air extending forwardly and outwardly ofthe: spraying machine, and the other blast of air extending outwardlyand rearwardly of the machine as can best be seen from FIG. 8. Thatportion of the air blast which is impelled through the upper portion ofthe outlet 27 contacts the o'scillat'able vanes 48 and is swung upwardlyand downwardly as schematically illustrated in FIG. 7. When the airstream is directed: downwardly, as shown in FIGS; 7 and 8 the. upperportion willpass between the lower diverted streams and thus introduceagricultural chemicals into that portion A of the tree or bush that hasbeen opened upbythe. diverted streams.

In some? instances-it may be desirable to keep the upper vanesfromoscillating and to this end a bracket 142 (FIGS, 2: and 3) ismounted. onthe upper transverse angle iron 1-14, the bracket 142 havinga slot 1'44rto which the lower ends of the link 106 may be secured in anadjusted fixed position.

Also, the degree of oscillation may bevaried by pivotally' securing thelower por-tion. of the link to one of the radially inner holes. r146(FIG. 3) on the crank wheel 88, the degree: of oscillation being,reduced corresponding to the reduction in distance of the selected holefrom the center of the crank wheel. A. further adjustment is. providedin that the. link 1110 may be shortened from the position shown, byrepositioning the bolts 148. in such amanner that they pass through theholes 15d, thustshortening. the link 1110;.

While we have shown and described above the preferred structure. inwhich; the principles of the present invention have been incorporated,it is to-be understood that our. invention is not to. be. limited to theparticular details, shown and described above, that, in fact, widelydiiT/erent means may be employed in thepractice of theversely of thedirection of travel of the sprayer, means connected to said air blastcreating and discharging means for dividing the lower portion of the airblast into a first stream and a second stream, the first stream beingforwardly angled and the second stream being rearwardly angled, meansconnected to said air blast creating and discharging means forrepeatedly oscillating the upper portion of the air blast verticallythrough an arcuate path lying in said plane, and means associated withsaid air blast creating and discharging means for introducingagricultural chemicals into said air blast.

2. The invention set forth in claim 1 in which said means for repeatedlyoscillating the upper portion of the air blast includes a plurality ofparallel vanes pivotally mounted on the sprayer, shifter ring meanscarried by said bades, rockshaft means operatively connected to the airblast creating and disch-arge means, and rock arm means interconnectingsaid rockshaft means and said shifter ring means.

3. In a mobile sprayer adapted for movement past plants to be treatedand including means for creating and discharging an air blast in a planeextending transversely of the direction of travel of the sprayer, saidmeans including a housing, means associated with said air blast creatingand discharging means for introducing agricultural chemicals into s-aidair blast, and means connected to said air blast creating anddischarging means for repeatedly oscillating a portion of the air blastvertically through an arcuate path lying in said plane, saidlastmentioned means including a plurality of fore-and-aft extendingoscillatable vanes, means pivotally supporting said vanes on saidhousing, a shifter ring means interconnecting said vanes and shiftableto pivot said vanes, and a rockshaft and first rock arm means drivinglyconnected with said shifter ring means and adapted to shift said ringmeans, the combination therewith of an eccentric drivinglyinterconnected with said air blast creating and discharging means, alink having one end secured to said eccentric and the other endconnected with second rock arm means, said second rock arm means beingmounted on said rockshaft and first rock arm means.

4. A mobile sprayer adapted for movement past plants to be treatedcomprising means for creating anl discharging an air blast in a planeextending transversely of the direction of travel of the sprayer, saidmeans including a housing, means associated with said air blast creatingand discharging means 'for introducing agricultural chemicals into saidair blast, and means connected to said air blast creating anddischarging means for repeatedly oscillating a portion of the air blastvertically through an arcuate path lying in said plane, saidlast-mentioned means including a plurality of fore-and-aft extendingoscillatable vanes, link means associated with each of said vanes, meansadjustably interconnecting said link means and said vanes means wherebythe vanes may be individually angularly positioned with respect to saidlinks, one of said vane and link means being pivotally secured to saidhousing, and means interconnecting said links and operable to oscillatesaid vanes.

5. A mobile sprayer adapted for movement past plants to be treatedcomprising means for creating and discharging an air blast in a planeextending transversely of the direction of travel of the sprayer, saidmeans including a housing, means associated with said air blast creatinga discharging means for introducing agricultural chemicals into said airblast, means connected to said housing for dividing at least a portionof the air blast into a first stream and a second stream, the firststream being forwardly angled and the second stream being rearwardlyangled, said dividing means including a plurality of vertical vanesangularly disposed to said housing, and a plurality of horizontal vanesinterconnecting said vertical vanes, said horizontal vanes beingpivotally mounted on said vertical vanes.

6. The invention set forth in claim 3 in which said first link isextensible and retractable whereby the range of oscillatory movement ofthe vanes with respect to the housing may be varied.

7. A mobile agricultural chemical distributor adapted for forwardmovement past plants to be treated comprising means for creating anddischarging an upper air blast in a plane extending transversely of thedirection of travel of the sprayer, means connected to said upper airblast creating and discharging means for repeatedly oscillating theupper air blast upwardly and downwardly, means for creating first andsecond lower air blasts, the first lower air blast being forwardlyangled and the second lower air blast being rearwardly angled, and meansas sociated with all of said air blast creating and discharging meansfor introducing agricultural chemicals into said air blasts.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,827,583 10/1931James 239-8 2,331,107 10/1943 Daugherty 239-78 2,515,792 7/1950 Ofeldt239-9 2,641,504 6/1953 Robinson 239-78 3,088,676 5/ 1963 Nottingham239-78 3,097,794 7/1963 Dawson 239-78 3,151,812 10/1964 Culp 239-78 M.HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, Examiner.

D. L. MOSELEY, Assistant Examiner.

7. A MOBILE AGRICULTURAL CHEMICAL DISTRIBUTOR ADAPTED FOR FORWARDMOVEMENT PAST PLANTS TO BE TREATED COMPRISING MEANS FOR CREATING ANDDISCHARGING AN UPPER AIR BLAST IN A PLANE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THEDIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE SPRAYER, MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID UPPER AIRBLAST CREATING AND DISCHARGING MEANS FOR REPEATEDLY OSCILLATING THEUPPER AIR BLAST UPWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY, MEANS FOR CREATING FIRST ANDSECOND LOWER AIR BLASTS, THE FIRST LOWER AIR BLAST BEING FORWARDLYANGLED AND THE SECOND LOWER AIR BLAST BEING REARWARDLY ANGLED, AND MEANSASSOCIATED WITH ALL OF SAID AIR BLAST CREATING AND DISCHARGING MEANS FORINTRODUCING AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS INTO SAID AIR BLASTS.